If anyone caught the ABC tribute to Dolly Parton Wednesday night, you had to have been moved by the stunning finale: Reba McIntire singing “He’s Alive.” It was a standout moment: one legend saluting another.
That was my first time hearing that song. It got me to wondering just who wrote it. A little Googling led me to discovering the answer: Christian songwriter Don Francisco.
The son of a seminary professor, bible translator and scholar, Don has been familiar with the workings of Christianity from an early age. In 1976, he wrote the hit, “He’s Alive” and began to travel giving concerts and sharing his vision of a loving and forgiving God. Many albums followed and Don is known worldwide now, mostly for his talent for taking stories from scripture, and creating ballads from the point of view of the people in the stories. Don’s audiences are always refreshed by the potency of God’s love and grace in these ballads. Over the years we have received uncountable emails telling us about people hearing “He’ Alive” for the first time while driving, and literally pulling off of the road to cry.
It was while traveling on tour that Dolly Parton first heard Francisco’s work:
Back in 1989, while returning to Tennessee after a concert tour, Dolly Parton heard a recording by Don Francisco, “He’s Alive” on the radio. She was so moved by the song, she pulled into a gas station and called the radio station that had played the song to find out who the artist was and the name of the song. When she returned to Nashville, she recorded the song with the Christ Church Choir. It was released on her 29th studio album, “White Limozeen” and was the last song on the album. She performed the song live at the 23rd Annual County Music Awards on October 9, 1989. The song was released as a single in November of that year.
After Dolly’s passing, Don Francisco, now 80, wrote on social media:
“Dolly Parton heard “He’s Alive” while riding on her tour bus. Her recording of it was heard all over the world by millions of people that I could never have reached on my own. After a standing ovation for her performance at the Country Music Awards, she sent me flowers to thank me for the song. Although it never happened in this life, I know we will meet soon…”
Hearing this song today, I can’t help but think we need it and its message of hope now more than ever.
